F5 


CASE 


JC-NRLF 


THE   FISH; 


WITH    THE 


i'MINUTER  ANIMALS  OP  THE  OCEAN. 


PHILADELPHIA : 

PUBLISHED   BY   THE   TRACT   ASSOCIATION  OF   FRIENDS, 

AND   TO    BE    HAD   AT   THEIR    DEPOSITORY, 

NO..  84   MULBERRY  STREET, 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

PRESENTED  BY 

PROF.  CHARLES  A.  KOFOID  AND 
MRS.  PRUDENCE  W.KOFOID 


Bvo\ 

THE  FISH.       I  \W 


CHAPTER  I. 

HUMBER    OF    FISHES THEIR    STRUCTURE ADMIRA'BLE 

ADAPTATION     OF     THESE     CREATURES     TO     THEIR     CIR- 
CUMSTANCES. 

WE  read  in  the  first  chapter  of  Genesis  the 
command  of  the  Great  Creator,  "  Let  the  waters 
bring  forth  abundantly  the  moving  creature  that 
hath  life."  We  also  find  in  the  next  verse  the 
result  of  His  fiat  who  spake,  and  it  was  done, 
who  commanded,  and  it  stood  fast.  "And  God 
created  great  whales,  and  every  living  creature 
that  moveth,  which  the  waters  brought  forth 
abundantly,  after  their  kind :"  "  and  God  saw 
that  it  was  good." 

Fishes  abound  wherever  flowing  water  is  to  be 
found,  from  the  streamlet  on  the  tops  of  our 
highest  mountains,  to  the  wide-spread  oceans 
that  encircle  our  globe.  They  seem  to  be  quite 
as  abundant  in  number  and  variety  as  animals 
are  on  land,  or  birds  and  insects  in  the  air. 

After  the  whale,  the  shark  is  of  the  greatest 
dimensions,  as  it  is  from  one  thousand  to  four 
thousand  pounds  in  weight,  and  is  sometimes 
thirty  feet  long. 

The  general  structure  of  this  extensive  class 
1  (1) 


2  FORM    OF    A    FISH.  ft 

of  animals,  considered  in  reference  to  the  ele- 
ment in  which  they  live,  exhibits  much  to  excite 
our  interest  and  admiration.  This  has  been  ad- 
mitted by  some  of  our  greatest  philosophers,  such 
as  Galileo  and  Borelli,  and  with  them  the  atten- 
tive reader  of  the  brief  statement  now  to  be 
made,  will,  it  is  believed,  fully  concur.  It  is  a 
curious  fact,  that  mathematicians,  after  careful 
calculations,  have  found  that  the  shape  of  a  fish 
is  that  best  adapted  to  enable  it  to  pass  easily 
through  a  fluid.  What  a  beautiful  testimony  is 
this  to  the  praise  of  Him  who  is  "  wonderful  in 
counsel,  and  excellent  in  working  !"  A  bird  is 
formed  for  traversing  the  regions  of  the  air ;  but 
the  feathered  creature  is  far  heavier  than  the  thin 
element  in  which  it  raises  itself,  and  through 
which  it  makes  its  way.  The  fish,  on  the  con- 
trary,  is  nearly  of  the  same  specific  gravity  as  the 
water  in  which  it  dwells  ;  and  hence  far  simpler 
organs  suffice  to  raise  it  in  its  native  element, 
arid  to  guide  and  steady  its  movements.  But  this 
suspension  of  the  fish  in  the  water,  with  but  little 
exertion  on  its  own  part,  by  a  gentle  agitation  of 
its  fins,  greatly  favours  its  progress. 

The  bird  has  not  only  to  sustain  itself  by  beat- 
ing the  air  with  its  wings,  but  by  the  same  strokes 
also  to  make  its  way.  The  fish,  on  the  other 
hand,  has  only  to  be  specially  fitted  for  progres- 
sion through  the  element  it  inhabits.  Its  broad 
and  powerful  tail  is  the  instrument  which  it  uses 
for  this  purpose ;  and  we  can  see,  as  we  watch 
the  movements  of  the  trout,  that  when  it  darte 
away,  its  fins  are  laid  down  close  to  its  body. 


MOTION    OF    FISHES.  3 

But  the  fins  direct  the  fish,  the  pectoral  fins  es- 
pecially ;  by  raising  or  depressing  the  head  they 
give  direction  to  the  whole  body,  under  the  force 
of  the  tail.  The  lateral  fins,  and  particularly  the 
pectoral  fins,  also  sustain  it  in  the  right  position 
in  the  water.  As  the  intestines  are  below  the 
centre,  the  belly  would  be  turned  up,  but  for  the 
action  of  the  lateral  fins.  This  we  see  takes 
place  in  a  dead  fish. 

The  incessant  action  of  the  muscles  which 
move  the  tail  and  fins  may  well  excite  our  admi- 
ration. If  a  fish  move  with  his  head  down  the 
stream,  he  must  move  more  rapidly  than  the 
water,  or  else  it  gets  under  the  lid  of  the  gills, 
and  chokes  him.  He  lies,  therefore,  continually 
with  his  head  to  the  stream.  A  trout  may  be 
observed  lying  for  hours  stationary,  whilst  the 
stream  is  running  past  him,  and  these  creatures 
seem  to  remain  so  for  days  and  nights. 

If,  however,  the  general  form  of  the  fish  is 
worthy  of  notice,  it  equally  deserves  attention, 
that  while  it  has  that  compressed  oval  form, 
pofnted  anteriorly  and  tapering  behind,  of  which 
the  salmon  and  mackerel  may  be  cited  as  exam- 
ples, yet  in  slow-moving  fishes,  or  such  as  creep 
on  the  bed  of  the  sea,  there  is  a  greater  or  less 
departure  from  this  form. 

To  aid  motion,  the  surface  of  the  fish  is  tensely 
covered  with  an  unwrinkled  skin,  clothed  not 
with  hair  or  feathers,  but  with  smooth  and  glossy 
scales,  lying  as  flat  as  possible,  all  regularly  over- 
lapping each  other,  like  slates  or  shingles  on  the 
roof  of  a  house.  Besides  this,  the  surface  is  lu- 


4  COLOUR    OF    FISHES. 

bricated  by  a  fluid,  which  in  some  fishes,  as  the 
eel,  where  the  skin,  from  the  extreme  minuteness 
of  the  scales,  appears  naked,  is  very  abundant. 
Thus  the  progress  of  the  animal  is  greatly  aided, 
and  it  is  also  enabled  to  creep  through  small  ori- 
fices, and  to  insinuate  itself  into  the  holes  to 
which  it  retires  for  safety  and  concealment. 


Apistes  marmoratus. 

Some  of  the  perches  are  remarkable  for  their 
beauty :  the  red-finned  perch  of  our  own  waters, 
and  the  gold  and  silver  fish  of  China,  so  often 
seen  here  in  vases,  may  be  given  as  familiar  ex- 
amples. Many  others  might  be  mentioned  as 
arrayed  in  great  beauty,  such  as  the  apistes,  of 
which  a  representation  has  just  been  given.  One, 
found  in  the  Mediterranean,  six  feet  in  length, 
has  a  golden  radiance ;  and  another,  observed  in 
the  Nile,  is  covered  with  scales  of  a  brilliant 
silver  colour,  like  spangles  lying  close  together. 
In  other  instances,  there  are  various  bright  spots, 
bands,  and  crossings,  and  the  blending  of  one 
bright  hue  with  another.  The  beautiful  silvering 
of  our  shad  is  well  known  to  our  readers,  and  is 


THE    SOUND.  5 

said  to  be  occasioned  by  the  presence  of  silver 
in  the  colouring  matter  of  the  scales. 

Some  fishes  have  an  internal  organ,  in  refer- 
ence to  which  there  have  been  many  conjectures, 
but  which  most  naturalists  consider  to  act  as  a 
float,  by  the  varying  adjustment  of  which  they 
are  enabled  to  rise  rapidly  in  the  water,  and  yet 
so  completely  under  control,  as  to  permit  them 
to  descend  with  ease.  This  organ  is  commonly 
termed  the  swimming-bladder,  or  so^d.  It  is  a 
long  membranous  sac,  variable  in  form  and  ex- 
tent, running  along  the  under  surface  of  the  spi- 
nal column,  to  which  it  is  firmly  attached.  It  is 
filled  with  air,  usually  what  is  called  nitrogen 
gas,  evidently  secreted  by  its  delicate  lining.  In 
many  instances  it  has  no  opening;  but  in  others, 
it  communicates  with  the  gullet  by  means  of  an 
orifice,  which  allows  the  escape  of  the  air  when 
the  sac  is  compressed  by  the  muscles  provided 
for  that  purpose. 

Where  the  air-bag  has  no  opening  to  act  as  a 
safety-valve  for  the  escape  of  its  gas,  it  is  liable, 
under  certain  circumstances,  to  burst.  Thus, 
for  example,  when  the  fish  is  suddenly  drawn  up 
from  a  considerable  depth  into  the  air,  the  sud- 
den expansion  of  the  gas  contained  in  the  sound 
ruptures  the  membrane  of  that  organ.  This  fre- 
quently happens  to  codfish,  perch,  and  other 
fishes ;  and  the  gas  rushing  into  the  general  cav- 
ity of  the  body,  not  only  distends  it  greatly,  but 
even  pushes  the  gullet  and  stomach  up  into  the 
mouth.  Such  accidents,  of  course,  would  seldom 
occur  to  these  fish  in  their  native  element,  but 
1* 


HEARING    OF    FISHES. 

are  owing  to  their  being  suddenly  removed  from 
those  deep  waters  to  which  their  habits  of  life . 
consign  them,  and  to  the  density  of  which  their 
organs  are  adapted.  The  sounds  of  the  cod  and 
the  ling  are  frequently  employed  in  the  mamufac- 
ture  of  isinglass ;  but  those  of  the  sturgeon  fur- 
nish the  best  .materials,  and  are  in  the  greatest 
request. 

The  tenants  of  an  element  more  dense  than 
our  atmos^lere,  less  capable  of  conveying  sound 
or  transmitting  rays  of  light,  often  turbid,  and, 
moreover,  but  little  adapted  for  the  diffusion  of 
odorous  particles,  require,  of  course,  senses  less 
refined  and  delicate  than  creatures  inhabiting  a 
rarer  element.  Unlike  animals,  which  express 
their  instinctive  feelings  by  various  sounds,  fishes, 
\^th  few  exceptions/  are  mute.  Many,  besides, 
live  at  a  depth  to  which,  while  the  surface  is 
tempest-tossfed,  the  roaring  of  the;billows  cannot 
extend.  Accordingly,  the  organ*  of  hearing  lies 
deep  beneath  the  skin,  and  is  very  simple  in  its 
structure.  The  ear  of  a  fish  consists  only  of  a 
labyrinth,  composed  of  three  semicircular  canals, 
communicating  with'a  chamber,  and  placed  in  a 
wide  cavity  on  each  side  of  the  head,  and  sur- 
rounded by  a  glassy  fluid.  To  each  of  these 
canals,  the  auditory  nerve  sends  a  filament,  which 
spreads  in  the  form  of  a  beautiful  net-work  over 
the  inner  lining  of  the  chamber.  The  engraving 
on  the  opposite  page  shows  this  structure. 

The  chamber  and  the  canals  are  filled  with  a 
fluid,  and  the  former  contains  certain  calcareous 
bodies,  extremely  hard,  called  ear-stones.  They 


HEARING    OF    FISHES.  7 

• 

are  generally  three  in  number :  their  form  differs 
greatly  in  the  various  species  ;  but  in  every  indi- 
vidual of  the  same  species  they  are  the  same. 
They  are  generally  suspended  in  the  chamber  by 
means  of  delicate  filaments.  In  -the  shark,  and 
some  other  fishes,  they  have  neither  the  enamel 
gloss  nor  the  hardness  apparent  in  other  cases ; 
they  resemble  moistened  starch,  and  consist  of 
chalk,  with  a  portion  of  gelatine. 


Ear  of  a  Fish,  a,  a,  a,  semicircular  canals;  b,  6,  the  chamber 
with  which  they  communicate  ;  c,  the  auditory  nerve  sending  forth 
its  filaments. 

As  a  proof  that  fishes  have  in  some  degree  the 
power  of  hearing,  it  is  stated  that  there  is  a  sin- 
gular mode  of  taking  trout  practised  in  some  of 
the  rivers  in  South  Wales.  '  The  sides  of  the 
rivers  are  here  and  there  very  rocky,  and  where 


8  HEARING    OP    FISHES. 

there  is  a  flat  shelving  rock,  trout  generally  haunt 
under  it.  On  the  rock  being  struck  forcibly  with 
a  large  sledge-hammer,  the  trout  rise  to  the  sur- 
face of  the  water,  appearing  as  if  they  were 
stunned,  and  are  then  taken. 

With  so  simple  an  organ  of  hearing,  it  is  sup- 
posed that  fishes  cannot  distinguish  the  differ- 
ences of  tone,  and  that  all  sounds  are  to  them 
nearly  the  same.  It  appears  that  these  sounds 
vary  in  intensity,  according  to  the  more  or  less 
violent  vibrations  of  the  fluid  contained  in  the 
labyrinth,  and  the  agitation  of  the  ear-stones. 
But  the  vibration  of  this  fluid  must  depend  on 
the  vibration  of  the  walls  of  the  cavity  in  which 
the  labyrinth  is  lodged  ;  and  these  walls  must  be 
affected  by  the  vibration  of  the  waters  in  contact 
with  their  external  surface.  That  noise  produces 
in  fishes  a  powerful  sensation,  may  be  admitted  ; 
but  it  is  questionable  if  their  ear  appreciate  dif- 
ferences of  tone,  like  that  of  birds  and  quadrupeds. 

Those  fishes  whose  lives  are  spent  in  the  shal- 
low waters  of  rivers  and  small  streams,  we  have 
reason  to  believe,  are  more  affected  by  sounds 
than  those  which  inhabit  the  depths  of  the  ocean, 
and  are  not  exposed  to  the  same  class  of  dangers 
as  the  former.  Every  angler  knows  that  he  must 
approach  the  margin  of  a  stream  cautiously  and 
quietly,  if  he  wishes  to  succeed  in  trout-fishing ; 
for  were  the  fish  ever  so  plentiful,  a  noisy  person 
will  stand  little  chance  of  catching  any,  even 
where  the  experienced  fisher  will  fill  his  basket. 
Trout,  pickerel,  perch,  and  other  fish  have  been 
domesticated  in  artificial  ponds,  and  have  soon 


VOICE    AND    SMELL    OF    FISHES.  9 

learned  to  know  the  voice  of  their  feeder,  and 
greedily  answer  to  his  call  to  be  fed.  Many  in- 
stances of  this  kind  are  on  record,  clearly  proving 
the  organs  of  hearing  in  some,  at  least  of  the 
fresh-water  fish,  to  be  sufficiently  acute  to  enable 
them  to  distinguish  simple  sounds.  In  most  of 
the  instances  noticed,  the  fish  were  called  by 
whistling ;  in  one,  by  drumming  on  a  wooden 
box  containing  their  food. 

Though  fishes  are  destitute  of  what  we  can 
call  voice,  there  are  still  some  of  them  capable 
of  producing  distinct  sounds,  no  doubt  answering 
some  wise  purpose  in  the  economy  of  the  animal. 
The  drumfish  of  our  own  coast  owes  its  name  to 
a  loud  drumming  sound  it  emits,  and  which  is 
said  to  be  audible  to  a  great  distance.  Some  of 
the  smaller  fish  of  our  rivers  are  also  known  to 
denote  their  pain,  when  caught  by  the  angler, 
by  the  utterance  of  faint  cries. 

It  appears  to  be  rather  by  sight  than  smell  that 
fishes  seek  for  and  pursue  their  prey.  The  latter 
power  is  feebler  than  the  similar  gift  to  other 
creatures.  Thus  fishes  seize  artificial  flies,  and 
imitations  of  other  fishes,  as  well  as  of  frogs  and 
mice,  which,  were  they  guided  by  the  smell,  they 
would  not  do.  In  asserting,  however,  that  this 
is  not  their  principal  means  of  discovering  food, 
it  is  not  pretended  that  fishes  do  not  use  their 
smell  in  the  selection  of  food  ;  some,  it  is  reason- 
able to  conclude,  do  so  more  than  others.  Trout 
may  be  observed  motionless  in  a  river,  with  their 
heads  directed  against  the  stream,  and  evidently 
watching,  not  smelling,  for  their  food  ;  and  they 


10  SMELL   AND    SIGHT    OF   FISHES. 

may  be  seen  not  only  darting  at  flies  which  settle 
on  the  surface,  or*at  small  fishes  wandering  near, 
but  at  an  artificial  fly  which  the  angler  has  thrown 
within  their  reach.  We  know,  too,  how  passing 
clouds,  casting  a  fleeting  shadow  on  the  water, 
alarm  them;  how  they  retire  if  they  see  the 
angler  clearly ;  how  the  weak  avoid  the  strong, 
and  the  strong  pursue  the  weak :  all  this  involv- 
ing sight,  but  not  smell.  Unlike  what  we  find 
in  higher  orders  of  creatures,  the  organs  of  smell 
do  not  communicate  with  the  back  of  the  mouth  : 
they  consist  of  two  cavities  near  the  front  of  the 
mouth,  lined  with  a  fine  membrane,  variously 
folded,  in  order  to  increase  the  extent  of  surface, 
which  is  supplied  by  filaments  of  the  olfactory 
nerves.  The  nostrils  are  simple  orifices  for  the 
admission  of  the  water,  which,  having  no  outlet 
to  pass  through  immediately  after  entering,  re- 
mains longer  than  the  air  does  when  passing 
through  the  nostrils  of  quadrupeds.  Hence  the 
succession  of  impressions  on  the  olfactory  organs 
of  fishes  is  less  rapid. 

The  sense  of  taste  in  fishes  is  evidently  fee- 
ble. The  tongue  is  but  imperfectly  developed : 
it  is  covered  with  the  same  skin  that  lines  the 
rest  of  the  mouth,  and  is  often  furnished  with 
teeth.  Fishes  seize  their  food  and  swallow  it  at 
once  ;  they  do  not  masticate  it,  and  have  no  sali- 
vary glands,  so  important  to  other  creatures. 

The  eye  is  the  most  important  organ  of  sense 
with  which  fishes  are  endowed.  It  is  expressly 
adapted  to  bring  the  rays  of  light  to  a  focus  on 
the  retina  in  a  denser  medium  than  the  air.  As 


SIGHT    OF    FISHES.  11 

among  other  animals,  there  is  a  very  great  differ- 
ence in  the  size  of  the  pupil,  andlof  the  eye  itself. 
In  one  instance,  that  of  the  anableps,  there  is  a 
double  pupil  in  each  eye.  Fish'es  which  reside 
in  the  depths  of  the  ocean,  where  the  light  of  day 
scarcely  reaches  them,  or  where  there  is  at  most 
an  obscure  twilight,  have  the  eyes  large,  like 
those  of  nocturnal  quadrupeds  or  birds.  On  the 
contrary,  such  as  live  in  mud,  and  burrow  in  the 
oozy  slime  of  rivers,*or  low  shores,  have  the  eyes 
small,  and  often  rudimental.  In  the  myxines 
there  are  no  traces  of  eyes.  There  is  a  small 
fish  sometimes  caught  in  the  Great  Cave  in  Ken- 
tucky, resembling  our  catfish,  which  has  no  eyes, 
nor  even  the  rudiments  of  them. 

We  give  the  following  as  an  interesting  in- 
stance of  the  powers  of  sight  in  fishes.  Being, 
on  one  occasion,  in  a  large  steamer  at  the  mouth 
of  Delaware  bay,  at  night-fall,  our  captain  dropped 
anchor  close  in  to  the  eastern  shore,  within  Cape 
May.  The  evening  looked  very  stormy,  and  the 
night  proved  to  be  so,  giving  both  captain  and 
men  much  uneasiness  lest  we  should,  before 
morning,  part  both  our  cables  and  be  driven  out 
to'sea.  But  though  the  night  was  stormy,  it  was 
one  of  much  interest  to  us;  for  the  heavy  waves, 
as  they  rolled  in  from  the  ocean  upon  us,  exhib- 
ited all  the  beauties  of  that  remarkable  phenome- 
non, phosphorescence  of  the  sea.  Far  as  the  eye 
could  reach,  the  combing  of  each  wave  was  tipped 
with  the  liquid  light,  the  incessant  flashing  of 
which  was  indescribably  brilliant.  Our  attention 
was  particularly  struck  with  the  motion  of  the 


12  SIGHT    OF   FISHES. 

fish,  which  appeared  in  considerable  numbers 
round  our  vessel,  varying  in  size,  apparently, 
from  a  foot  to  six  or  eight  feet  in  length.  The 
phosphorescence  of  the  water  was  so  great  as  to 
illuminate  each  fislvand  enable  us  to  trace  them, 
even  when  they  descended  to  considerable  depths. 
The  larger  fishes  were  evidently  preying  on  the 
smaller;  and  the  varied  evolutions  by  which 
these  endeavoured  to  elude  their  pursuit  were 
very  interesting.  Now  they*would  dart  off  at  a 
sudden  angle,  rise  to  the  surface,  and  again  pass- 
ing under  the  keel  of  the  steamer,  rise  on  the 
other  side.  At  one  time  they  would  be  at  the 
bow,  at  another  at  the  stern  ;  but  go  where  they 
would,  their  motions  in  the  water  induced  suffi- 
cient light  to  enable  both  ourselves  and  their 
more  dreaded  enemies  to  trace  their  movements. 
The  respiratory  organs  of  fishes  exhibit  variety 
of  structure;  but  our  space  will  confine  our  atten- 
tion to  the  ordinary  groups.  In  these  they  con- 
sist of  the  gills,  which  have  a  lid  capable  of  being 


Head  of  the  Herring,    a,  the  gill-lid;  I,  the  gill-flap. 


EEfePIRATION    OF    FISHES.  13 

opened  at  pleasure,  and  a  gill-flap,  which  assists 
also  in  covering  the  gills.  As  it  is  moveable, 
like  a  fin,  independently  of  the  gill-lid,  it  may 
assist  the  mouth  in  throwing  a  current  of  water 
over  the  gills,  or  it  may  effect  this  when  the 
mouth  is  occupied  with  food. 

On  raising  the  part  just  described,  we  see  be- 
neath it  the  gills,  of  a  beautiful  red  colour,  com- 
posed of  arches,  varying  in  different  species,  and 
fringed  with  a  series  of  fibrils,  set  like  the  plume- 
lets composing  the  vane  of  a  feather.  When 
these  are  minutely  examined,  they  appear  covered 
with  a  velvet-like  membrane,  over  which  myriads 
of  wonderfully  minute  blood-vessels  are  spread, 
like  a  delicate  net-work.  There  are  commonly 
four  of  these  fringed  arches  :  they  are  moveable, 
and  allow  the  currents  of  water,  driven  down  by 
the  action  of  the  mouth,  to  flow  freely  through 
them,  so  as  to  lave  every  fibril.  The  concave 
margin  of  each  arch  is  always  more  or  less  stud- 


Head  of  the  Herring,  with  the  gill-cover  entirely  removed,  a,  the 
gill-fringes,  on  the  posterior  margin  of  the  arch;  ft,  the  anterior 
slender  spines  directed  forwards ;  c,  position  of  the  heart. 

2 


14          CIRCULATION    OF    BLOOD    IN   FISHES. 

ded  with  tooth-like  projections,  and  these  in  the 
herring,  and  some  others,  are  lengthened  into 
slender  spines.  Their  use  appears  to  be,  to  pre- 
vent, food  taken  into  the  mouth  from  being  forced 
out  through  the  gills  with  the  streams  of  water 
sent  through  them. 

The  heart  of  the  fish  is  designed  to  supply  the 
gills  with  blood.  It  consists  of  an  auricle  and  a 
ventricle,  -and  also  of  a  capacious  reservoir  to 
receive  the  blood  returned  from  the  body,  prior 
to  its  being  admitted  into  the  heart.  The  en- 
graving shows  the  course  of  the  circulation. 

The  blood  being  received 
into  the  auricle,  is  carried 
into  the  ventricle  through 
an  opening  guarded  by 
valves,  and  thence  it  is  sent 
through  the  branchial  artery 
to  the  gills.  Here  the  ar- 
tery divides  into  as  many 
branches  as  there  are  arches; 
and  each  branch  runs  in  a 
groove  along  the  convexity 
of  each  arch,  sending  off  a 
Heart  of  a  Fish.  «,  the  still  finer  branch  to  every 

auricle;    6.   the   ventricle;     /^i     -i     >i  •  •  •/*   • 

C)  the  branchial  artery.         fibril,  this  again  ramifying 
into  a  net  of  most  delicate 

tubes.  It  is  in  the  fine  blood-vessels  of  the  fringe 
of  the  gills  that  the  blood  is  acted  upon  by  the 
oxygen  of  the  water,  and  from  the  gills  it  is  car- 
ried to  the  general  system.  Fishes  are  endowed 
with  much  less  vitality  than  warm-blooded  ani- 
mals, respiring  simply  through  the  medium  of 


CIRCULATION    OF    BLOOD    IN    FISHES.          15 

water ;  in  other  words,  only  availing  themselves 
of  the  small  quantity  of  oxygen  which  is  contained 
in  the  air  mixed  with  water. 

The  number  of  aquatic  respirations  in  fishes 
is  between  twenty  and  thirty  in  a  minute  ;  and 
the  surface  of  the  gills  over  which  the  blood  is 
distributed,  that  the  water  may  act  upon  it,  is 
surprisingly  great.  It  has  been  calculated  that 
the  gills  of  a  large  skate  present  a  surface  equal 
to  2,250  square  inches,  or  about  the  whole  exter- 
nal surface  of  the  human  body.  One  creature, 
the  Perca  scandens,  has  a  very  remarkable  struc- 
ture adapted  to  maintain  respiration,  and,  conse- 
quently, to  support  life  for  a  considerable  time 
when  out  of  the  water.  It  is  said  to  travel  occa- 
sionally on  land  to  some  distance  from  the  coast. 
The  bones  of  the  cavity  in  which  the  food  is  re- 
ceived in  its  passage  from  the  mouth  to  the  gul- 
let, are  so  constructed  as  to  have  a  capacity  for 
retaining  a  sufficient  quantity  of  water  not  only 
to  keep  the  gills  moist,  but  also  to  enable  them 
to  act  properly,  while  not  a  particle  of  water  is 
suffered  to  escape,  the  lids  being  accurately 
closed. 

Dr.  Hancock,  in  the  Zoological  Journal,  gives 
an  account  of  a  species  of  fish,  probably  allied  to 
the  perch  above  described,  which  in  very  dry 
seasons,  when  the  pools  in  which  they  commonly 
reside  lose  their  water,  remove  by  land  in  search 
of  others,  where  the  water  is  not  evaporated. 
These  fish  grow  to  about  a  foot  in  length,  and 
travel  in  large  companies ;  using  the  pectoral  fin 
as  a  kind  of  foot,  they  push  themselves  forwards 


16  FOOD    OF   FISHES. 

by  means  of  their  tail,  moving  nearly  as  fast  as  a 
man  will  leisurely  walk.  A  friend  of  Dr.  Han- 
cock, resident  in  Essequibo,  once  fell  in  with  a 
drove  of  these  animals,  which  were  so  numerous 
that  the  Indians  in  his  company  filled  several 
baskets  with  them. 

Most  fishes  are  carnivorous,  preying  on  the 
smaller  of  their  own  class,  and  on  worms,  insects, 
and  various  other  creatures ;  but  some  feed  in 
part,  and  some  few,  perhaps,  exclusively,  on  ve- 
getable productions.  Well  may  we  say  with  the 
Psalmist,  in  the  review  of  the  circumstances  now 
stated,  in  reference  to  the  structure  of  these  crea- 
tures, and  the  means  provided  for  their  support : 
"  O  Lord,  how  manifold  are  thy  works !  in  wis- 
dom hast  thou  made  them  all :  the  earth  is  full 
of  thy  riches.  So  is  this  great  and  wide  sea, 
wherein  are  things  creeping  innumerable,  both 
small  and  great  beasts.  These  wait  all  upon 
thee,  that  thou  mayest  give  them  their  meat  in 
due  season.  That  thou  givest  them  they  gather : 
thou  openest  thine  hand,  they  are  filled  with 
good."  (Psa.  civ.  24—28.) 

In  thus  referring  to  the  provision  made  for  in- 
ferior creatures,  it  is  of  great  importance  that  the 
mind  should  dwell  also  on  the  provision  made  for 
ourselves.  The  gifts  of  God,  bestowed  during 
every  moment  of  our  lives,  demand  our  sincere 
and  fervent  gratitude,  while  there  are  blessings 
bestowed  on  us  as  immortal  beings,  for  which 
we  should  be  still  more  thankful.  Our  highest 
praise  is  due  for  the  manifestation  of  his  mercy 
to  us  as  sinners,  through  "  the  Lamb  that  was 


THE    GREAT   SALVATION.  17 

slain."  The  gospel  goes  forth,  offering  the  bless- 
ings of  pardon,  renovation,  and  hope,  to  be  en- 
joyed now,  and  all  the  glory  and  happiness  of 
heaven  to  be  participated  hereafter,  to  all  who 
believe  its  testimony,  and  "  repose  the  whole 
affiance  of  their  souls"  on  the  crucified  Redeemer. 
"  I  am,"  he  says,  "  the  light  of  the  world :  he 
that  followeth  me  shall  not  walk  in  darkness,  but 
shall  have  the  light  of  life."  (John  viii.  12.)  His 
voice  is  heard  saying,  "  Come  unto  me,"  and  "  him 
that  cometh  to  me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out." 
(Matt.  xi.  28  ;  John  vi.  37.)  "  Therefore,"  says 
the  great  apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  "  we  ought  to 
give  the  more  earnest  heed  to  the  things  which 
we  have  heard,  lest  at  any  time  we  should  let 
them  slip.  For  if  the  word  spoken  by  angels 
was  stedfast,  and  every  transgression  and  disobe- 
dience received  a  just  recompense  of  reward ; 
how  shall  we  escape,  if  we  neglect  so  great  sal- 
vation r  (Heb.  ii.  1—3.) 


CHAPTER  II. 

SINGULAR  FISH THE  SAW-FISH THE    SWORD-FISH THE 

SUCKER-FISH THE    FLYING-FISH THE    TORPEDO THE 

ELECTRICAL    EEL. 

THE  space  which  remains  to  be  occupied,  will 
allow  only  of  a  reference  to  a  few  remarkable 
tenants  of  the  deep;  but  it  is  hoped  that  the  con- 
templation of  these  will  lead  to  further  inquiry 
as  to  creatures  exhibiting  in  various  ways  the 
perfections  of  the  adorable  Creator. 

One  fish,  about  six  or  eight  inches  long,  fre- 
quents the  waters  of  the  East  Indies.  When  it 
observes  a  fly  on  the  plants  that  grow  in  the  shal- 
low water,  it  swims  to  the  distance  of  five  or  six 
feet,  and  then,  with  surprising  dexterity,  ejects 
from  its  tubular  mouth  a  single  drop  of  water, 
striking  the  fly  into  the  sea,  where  it  soon  be- 
comes a  prey. 

Among  the  monsters  of  the  deep,  whose  vora- 
city and  weapons  of  attack  render  them  terrible 
to  their  prey,  one  of  the  most  remarkable  is  the 
saw-fish,  which  inhabits  the  northern  and  tempe- 
rate latitudes  of  the  ocean.  Nearly  allied  to  the 
sharks,  it  has  all  their  ferocity,  and  more  than 
their  power,  being  armed  with  a  weapon  of  de- 
struction which  makes  it  victorious  even  over  the 
grampus  and  the  whale.  This  is  a  kind  of  saw, 
of  a  flattened  form,  projecting  from  the  snout, 
armed  along  the  edges  with  tremendous  teeth, 

(18) 


THE   SWORD-FISH.  19 

A  saw  recently  examined,  taken  from  an  adult 
individual,  measures  five  feet  in  length,  and  is 
nearly  one  foot  broad  at  the  base,  whence  it 
tapers  to  the  apex,  which  is  rounded,  and  mea- 
sures five  inches  across.  It  is  about  one-third 
the  length  of  the  whole  body. 


Head  of  the  Saw-fish. 

Another  is  remarkable  from  the  upper  jaw 
being  lengthened  into  a  flat,  sharp  beak,  which 
resembles  a  sword,  but  is  far  more  strong  and 
solid. 

With  this  weapon  the  sword-fish  attacks  whales, 
and  even  ships.  When  the  Leopard,  from  Guinea, 
was  cleaned  in  1725,  the  beak  of  one  of  these 
creatures  was  found  in  the  bottom  of  the  vessel : 
it  had  passed  through  the  copper  sheathing  and 
a  three-inch  plank,  and  even  four  inches  beyond 
that  into  the  solid  timber.  The  fish  had  followed 
the  ship,  and  struck  it  while  under  sail,  and  the 
beak  must  have  broken  off  in  the  animal's  strug- 
gles to  disengage  it.  At  the  present  time  there 
is  in  the  British  Museum  part  of  the  hull  of  an 
East-Indiaman,  with  the  sword  of  a  fish  driven 
completely  through  it,  almost  to  its  base.  Sir 
Joseph  Banks  was  informed  by  the  captain  of  the 
vessel,  that  the  fish  killed  itself  by  its  prodigious 
exertions  in  the  blow. 


20 


THE    SUCKER-FISH. 


The  sucker-fish  is  also  a  remarkable  little 
creature.  It  inhabits  the  tropical  seas,  and  de- 
rives its  name  from  the  top  of  the  head  being 
provided  with  a  large  oval  disc,  by  means  of 
which  it  adheres  to  other  bodies,  and  that  with 
astonishing  tenacity.  This  apparatus  is  surround- 
ed by  a  broad>  loose,  moveable  rim,  within  which 
are  two  rows  of  cartilaginous  plates,  having  each 
a  free  edge,  which  is  finely  toothed,  like  a  saw. 
These  plates  can  be  raised  up,  or  depressed,  so 
as  to  bring  them  flat,  at  the  will  of  the  fish,  there 
being  peculiar  muscles  on  the  skull  adapted  to 
that  purpose.  These  two  rims  are  separated 
merely  by  a  thin  partition,  and  are  thus  divided, 
most  probably,  that,  being  shorter,  each  may  gain 
an  increased  degree  of  firmness,  so  as  to  exert  a 
greater  muscular  force. 


Head  of  the  Sucker-fish. 


This  singular  provision  acts  like  the  leather 
sucker  which  the  schoolboy  presses  on  a  stone, 
removing  the  air  from  beneath,  so  that  the  pres- 


THE    SUCKER-FISH.  21 

sure  of  the  atmosphere  on  the  upper  surface  may 
cause  his  sucker  to  adhere  to  the  stone.  The 
rim  of  the  fish  being  closely  applied  to  any  sur- 
face, the  plates  lying  flat,  are  forcibly  raised  up, 
and  the  interstices,  therefore,  become  so  many 
spaces  free  from  air,  while  the  saw-like  edges  of 
the  plates,  the  raising  of  them  having  once  taken 
place,  retains  sufficient  hold  of  the  substance  in 
contact  to  continue  in  that  position,  aided  by  the 
pressure  of  the  surrounding  water,  without  any 
further  muscular  exertion.  Nothing  can  be  more 
simple  than  this  apparatus,  and  nothing  more 
complete  in  its  operation.  It  is  a  compensation 
for  the  feeble  locomotive  power  of  the  fishes  to 
which  it  is  granted  ;  for  by  this  means  they  avail 
themselves  of  the  exertions  of  others  to  pass 
through  the  water.  Even  to  the  sides  of  the 
shark,  that  huge  tyrant  of  the  deep,  the  sucker- 
fish  attaches  itself  without  fear,  led  by  that  in- 
stinct with  which  it  has  been  endowed  by  the 
great  Creator,  to  provide  for  its  wants  and  safety. 
In  a  cabinet  in  Philadelphia  is  preserved  a  pair 
of  these  singular  fishes ;  they  are  about  five  inches 
in  length,  and  were  taken  from  the  body  of  a 
shark.  They  were  found  firmly  adhering  to  his 
sides,  just  below  his  mouth,  in  such  a  situation 
that  they  might  readily  catch  the  refuse  food  that 
escaped  from  the  jaws  of  their  greedy  bearer, 
while  in  a  place  of  entire  security  for  themselves. 
The  flying-fish,  represented  on  the  title-page, 
will  also  repay  our  attention.  In  birds,  flight  is 
accomplished  by  feathered  wings ;  in  the  insect 
tribes  by  net-work  fans ;  in  the  bat  by  membra- 


22  THE    FLYING -FISH THE    BONITO. 

nous  expansions,  supported  by  the  bones  of  the 
limbs ;  and  in  the  flying-fish  by  a  fan-like  exten- 
sion of  the  pectoral  fins. 

This  creature,  of  which  there  are  two  or  three 
species  known,  is  a  native  of  the  seas  of  the  hot- 
ter regions.  It  abounds  between  the  tropics,  nor 
is  it  uncommon  in  the  Mediterranean,  or  off  the 
coast  of  Spain.  One  of  the  species  frequents  the 
bays  of  the  coast  of  the  United  States.  It  often 
happens  that,  in  clear  water,  shoals  of  these  fishes 
may  be  seen  quietly  pursuing  their  course,  in 
search  of  food,  when  suddenly  the  dolphin,  or  the 
bonito,  cleaving  the  water  like  an  arrow,  advances 
upon  them.  Now  begins  the  struggle  ;  this  for 
his  victim,  those  for  life;  away  skims  the  shoal 
of  flying-fish,  and  forward  presses  the  untiring 
depredator,  gaining  rapidly  on  his  booty,  whose 
long  spring-like  fins  seem  almost  an  impediment. 
The  enemy  is  already  upon  their  ranks,  the  fate 
of  the  hindmost  seems  inevitable,  when  at  once 
rising  like  birds  from  the  surface  of  the  deep, 
upborne  on  transparent  quivering  wings,  the  glit- 


The  Bonito. 


THE    DOLPHIN.  23 

tering  shoal  dazzles  the  eye  as  it  skims  along, 
leaving  the  pursuer  in  the  distance. 

Short,  however,  is  the  flight  of  the  flying-fish. 
Its  delicate  fans  are  soon  dried  in  the  sun,  and 
our  air  is  suffocating.  In  a  few  seconds,  the 
shoal,  which  reflected  like  silver  the  beams  of 
the  sun,  descend  into  their  native  element,  and 
again  are  farced  to  flight;  and  this  is  repeated 
either  till,  exhausted  by  their  efforts,  they  fall 
victims  to  their  conqueror,  or  till  they  have  baf- 
fled his  hound-like  perseverance.  But  the  poor 
flying-fish  do  not  always  find  safety  in  the  air; 
and  their  short  flight  often  makes  them  the  prey 
of  another  enemy.  While  the  dolphin  or  the 
bonito  harasses  it  in  the  water,  hunting  it  as  the 
wolf  hunts  down  the  deer,  the  frigate-bird  and 
the  albatross  are  ready  to  pounce  upon  it  in  the 
air.  Sailing  in  the  sky,  and  always  on  the  watch, 


The  Dolphin. 


24  THE    TORPEDO. 

they  mark  the  motions  of  the  finny  tribes  below, 
and  sweep  down  with  unerring  aim  upon  their 
prey.  The  flying-fish  is  an  easy  mark.  It  would 
appear,  however,  that  it  is  not  only  when  pressed 
by  their  enemies,  that  these  curious  fishes  try  the 
upper  air;  they  often,  as  if  in  the  exuberance  of 
enjoyment,  take  short  and  reiterated  flights,  just 
dipping  on  the  water,  and  rising  again,  when  no 
foe  can  be  observed. 

The  electrical  power  of  fishes  is  another  cu- 
rious fact;  some  of  them  being  able  instantane- 
ously to  produce  a  convulsive  contraction  of  the 
muscles  of  individuals  :  in  other  words,  a  shock. 
One  of  these  is  the  torpedo,  which  is  closely 
allied  to  the  ray,  or  skate.  The  disc  of  the  body 
is. nearly  circular ;  the  tail  is  short  and  fleshy. 
The  electrical  organs  consist  of  a  number  of  up- 
right hollow  columns,  situated  on  each  side  of 
the  cranium,  and  extending  backwards  as  far  as 
the  gill-openings.  The  cavity  of  each  column  is 
divided  by  transverse  partitions  into  a  number  of 
cells,  containing  a  jelly-like  fluid. 

These  partitions,  in  a  column  of  one  inch, 
amount  to  one  hundred  and  fifty.  They  consist 
of  a  very  fine  membrane.  The  whole  apparatus 
is  covered  with  one  which  is  very  thin — a  mem- 
brane composed  of  longitudinal  fibres,  united  to 
the  skin  or  surrounding  parts  of  the  body.  These 
electrical  organs  are  supplied  by  a  large  number 
of  nerves,  on  which  their  peculiar  power  entirely 
depends.  They  are  doubtless  intended  to  sub- 
serve the  continuance  of  life  in  a  two-fold  man- 
ner. The  power  they  exert  affords  protection 


THE   ELECTRICAL   EEL.  25 

by  enabling  the  torpedo  to  benumb  its  foes,  and 
they  assist  in  procuring  food,  by  stunning  or  kill- 
ing  the  smaller  animals  on  which  it  feeds. 

Another  of  these  creatures  is  the  Gymnotus 
electricus,  or  electrical  eel.  When  full-grown  it 
measures  between  five  and  six  feet  in  length.  Its 
colour  varies  with  age,  and  the  nature  of  the 
water  in  which  it  dwells.  Generally,  it  is  of  an 
olive-green,  with  the  under  part  of  the  head  of  a 
yellow  tint  mingled  with  red ;  and  a  double  row 
of  small  excretory  openings  in  the  skin  from  the 
head  to  the  tail  are  thus  coloured:  these  openings 
appear  to  belong  to  mucous  glands,  which  secrete 
the  slimy  fluid  with  which  the  skin  is  lubricated. 
The  mouth  is  wide,  and  the  interior,  as  far  as  the 
gullet,  is  furnished  with  little  teeth  disposed  in 
rows,  and  very  closely  set ;  the  tongue  is  fleshy, 
and  covered  with  papillae.  It  may  be  asked, 
What  is  the  structure  of  the  apparatus  which 
gives  to  this  eel  its  terrible  powers,  and  renders 
it  capable  of  discharging  an  electric  shock  of 
such  violence  as  to  throw  down  horse  and  man  ? 
The  organ  which  produces  these  singular  effects 
occupies  the  under  parts  of  the  tail,  or  terminal 
portion  of  the  body.  It  consists  of  four  longitu- 
dinal masses  ;  two  large  above,  two  small  below, 
each  being  composed  of  a  vast  number  of  mem- 
branous laminae,  or  thin  plates,  closely  set  toge- 
ther, and  nearly  horizontal.  These  plates  have 
their  external  margin  affixed  to  the  skin,  and 
they  rise  to  a  level  with  the  vertebral  column ; 
they  are  besides  united  to  each  other  by  an  infi- 
nite number  of  transverse  small  vertical  laminae, 


26 


THE    ELECTRICAL    EEL. 


and  thus  are  formed  a  multitude  of  transverse 
cells,  or  minute  prismatic  canals,  filled  with  jelly- 
like  matter,  and  abundantly  supplied  with  nerves. 


a  a,  the  upper  and  larger  pair  of  electric  organs?,  b  b,  the  lower 
pair,  c  c,  two  muscles  dividing  the  upper  from  the  lower  pair  of 
electric  organs,  d  d  d  d,  four  external  lateral  muscles,  e,  a  single 
muscle  inserted  into  the  fin,/,  g  g,  eight  dorsal  muscles,  imbedded 
in  fat  and  cellular  tissue,  and  having  a  concentrically  laminated 
structure,  h,  the  spinal  column,  i,  the  swimming-bladder,  which 
is  of  an  elongated  form  and  of  great  length,  measuring  from  two 
to  nearly  three  feet. 

"I  never  remember,"  says  Humboldt,  "to  have 


THE    ELECTRICAL    EEL.  27 

experienced  a  more  terrible  blow  from  the  dis- 
charge of  a  Leyden  jar  of  great  size,  than  one 
which  I  received  on  putting  my  two  feet  on  a 
gymnotus  which  was  dragged  out  of  the  water. 
During  the  rest  of  the  day,  I  felt  great  pain  in 
the  knees  and  in  almost  every  joint  of  the  body." 
It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say,  that  in  the  pools*, 
lakes,  or  mexes,  tenanted  by  this  formidable  fish, 
it  reigns  supreme  ;  what,  indeed,  can  withstand 
its  assaults?  It  comes  not  upon  its  foe  with 
teeth,  nor  the  common  weapons  of  its  race,  for 
then  force  might  be  opposed  to  force;  but  it  deals 
destruction  by  the  agency  of  means  against  which 
strength  and  courage  are  of  little  avail. 

The  sketch  on  the  opposite  page  represents  a 
section  of  the  terminal  portion  of  its  body,  con- 
taining the  electrical  apparatus  in  its  natural 
situation  and  may  serve  to  convey  an  idea  of  the 
arrangement  of  its  plates,  and  the  relative  mag- 
nitude  of  the  upper  and  lower  double  series. 

On  the  nerves  with  which  these  creatures  are 
furnished  depends  their  electric  power ;  but  how, 
or  in  what  manner,  the  accumulation  of  electric 
fluid  takes  place ;  the  means  which  the  animal 
has  of  discharging  it,  or  not,  at  pleasure,  or  in 
what  direction  it  pleases ;  and  the  theory  of  its 
production — these  points  are  all  enveloped  in 
mystery.  We  are  presented  with  nerves,  and  a 
large  laminated  apparatus;  and  we  find  that  these 
nerves  and  this  apparatus  of  plates  constitute,  in 
some  mysterious  manner,  an  electro-galvanic  bat- 
tery, governed  as  to  its  use  by  volition  ;  but  we 
know  no  more.  How  soon  are  we  stopped  by 


28  THE    WONDERS    OF   CREATION. 

impassable  barriers  in  the  progress  of  our  inves- 
tigations among  the  wonders  with  which  the  great 
field  of  creation  teems !  How  soon  do  we  dis- 
cover the  limitation  of  our  minds,  and  their  inad- 
equacy to  grasp  a  part,  a  small  part,  of  the  ways 
and  workings  of  the  Almighty ! 


MINUTE  ANIMALS  OF  THE  OCEAN. 


THE  innumerable  tribes  of  insects  which  swarm 
in  every  part  of  the  world,  delighting  us  by  the 
brilliancy  of  their  colouring,  or  tormenting  us  with 
their  attacks  upon  our  persons  or  our  property, 
although  their  armies  sometimes  render  whole 
countries  uninhabitable,  destroying  every  blade 
of  grass  in  their  career  ;  even  these  seemingly 
interminable  hosts  must  yield  the  palm  in  number, 
beauty,  everything  except  destructiveness,  to  the 
sky-tinted  denizens  of  the  ocean.  Every  leaf  of 
sea-weed,  every  fragment  of  floating  timber,  teems 
with  life,  in  some  of  its  most  interesting  forms, 
and  the  blue  expanse  of  waves  is  everywhere 
studded  with  animated  germs,  which  sail  along 
its  surface,  or  lie  hidden  in  its  bosom. 

The  seaman,  as  the  vessel  hurries  along,  catches 
occasional  glimpses  of  misty  specks  floating  be- 
neath him,  which,  to  his  careless  eye,  appear  like 
the  spawn  of  fishes,  or  the  slime  washed  from  their 
bodies;  yet  in  these  unpromising  and  neglected 
atoms,  closer  examination  discovers  beings  whose 
delicacy  of  structure  defies  the  pencil,  and  whose 
tints  are  rivalled  only  by  those  of  a  summer's 
evening. 

There  is  a  striking  contrast  between  the  gran- 
3*  (») 


30  MINUTE    ANIMALS 

deur  and  the  immensity  of  power  displayed  by 
the  angry  waves,  and  the  delicate  and  fragile 
forms  which  crowd  their  surface.  The  crest  of  a 
billow,  which  causes  the  tough  fir-ribbed  vessel  to 
tremble  beneath  it,  passes  harmlessly  over  myriads 
of  beings,  which,  when  removed  from  their  native 
element,  dissolve  under  the  fervour  of  the  sun, 
or  break  in  pieces  by  their  own  weight.  Yet, 
unobtrusive  as  are  these  lower  links  in  the  scale 
of  nature,  they  are  often  individually  dressed  in 
great  beauty,  and  collectively,  they  produce  some 
of  the  most  sublime  phenomena,  building  up 
islands  in  the  midst  of  the  deep,  or  alarming  the 
mariners  with  the  appearance  of  unreal  shoals. 

Those  who  have  sought  relief  from  the  summer 
heats  at  Long  Branch,  or  Cape  May,  have  proba- 
bly noticed  in  their  ramblings  along  the  beach, 
certain  gelatinous  transparent  masses,  deposited 
by  the  receding  tide  upon  the  sands.  They  re- 
semble very  large  plano-convex  lenses,  and  are 
devoid  of  colour,  except  in  a  few  minute  points, 
which  appear  like  grains  of  yellow  sand,  or  the 
eggs  of  some  shell-fish  imbedded  in  their  sub- 
stance. This  has  led  many  to  consider  them  as 
the  spawn  of  some  marine  animal. 

If  one  of  these  jellies  be  placed  in  a  tub  of 
brine,  immediately  after  it  reaches  the  shore,  the 
observer  will  be  surprised  to  find  it  possessed  of 
animation.  The  upper,  or  convex  part,  will  ex- 
pand like  the  top  of  an  umbrella,  and  from  its 
under  surface  several  fringed  and  leaf-like  mem- 
branes will  be  developed.  The  remains  of  numer- 
ous threads,  or  tendrils,  will  float  out  from  the 


OP   THE    OCEAN.  31 

margin  of  the  umbrella,  following  the  motions  of 
the  animal  as  it  swims  around  the  tub.  These 
threads  are  often  several  feet  in  length  before 
they  are  broken  by  the  sand ;  they  are  probably 
employed  both  to  entice  and  secure  the  prey,  and 
they  often  produce  a  sharp,  stinging  sensation, 
when  applied  to  the  skin.  It  is  from  the  appear- 
ance and  offensive  power  of  these  last  organs,  that 
seamen  have  given  the  animal  the  title  of  the  sea- 
nettle,  and  naturalists  the  generic  name,  medusa. 

This  rude  description  of  the  medusa  is  offered 
as  a  familiar  example  of  the  class  of  animated  be- 
ings which  are  the  subject  of  the  following  re- 
marks. They  are  all  alike  gelatinous  ^nd  trans- 
parent, and  many  of  them  melt  and  flow  away 
when  exposed  in  the  open  air  to  the  direct  rays 
of  the  sun. 

Of  all  the  tribes  of  molluscoe  which  are  scat- 
tered over  every  part  of  the  ocean,  the  most 
splendid,  and  the  best  known,  is  the  Portuguese 
man-of-war.  This  is  an  oblong  animated  sack  of 
air,  elongated  at  one  extremity  into  a  conical 
neck,  and  surmounted  by  a  membranous  expansion, 
running  nearly  the  whole  length  of  the  body,  and 
rising  above  into  a  semicircular  sail,  which  can  be 
expanded  or  contracted  to  a  considerable  extent, 
at  the  pleasure  of  the  animal.  From  beneath  the 
body  are  suspended  from  ten  to  fifty,  or  more, 
Jittle  tubes,  from  half  an  inch  to  an  inch  in  length, 
open  at  their  lower  extremity,  and  formed  like  the 
flower  of  the  blue-bottle.  These  appear  to  be  so 
many  independent  stomachs,  in  which  the  food  is 
received  and  digested.  From  the  centre  of  this 


82  MINUTE    ANIMALS 

group  of  stomachs  hangs  a  little  cord,  never  ex- 
ceeding the  fourth  of  an  inch  in  thickness,  and 
often  forty  times  as  long  as  the  body. 

The  size  of  the  Portuguese  man-of-war  varies 
from  half  an  inch  to  six  inches  in  length.  When 
it  is  in  motion,  the  sail  is  accommodated  to  the 
force  of  the  breeze,  and  the  elongated  neck  is 
curved  upward,  giving  to  the  animal  a  form 
strongly  resembling  the  little  glass  swans  which 
we  sometimes  see  swimming  in  goblets. 

It  is  not  the  form,  however,  that  constitutes  the 
chief  beauty  of  this  little  navigator.  The  lower 
part  of  the  body  and  the  neck  are  devoid  of  all 
colour,  except  a  faint  irridescence  in  reflected 
lights,  and  they  are  so  perfectly  transparent  that 
the  finest  print  is  not  obscured  when  viewed  through 
them.  The  back  becomes  gradually  tinged,  as  we 
ascend,  with  a  fine  and  most  delicate  blue ;  the 
base  of  the  sail  resembles  the  purest  sky  in  depth 
and  beauty  of  tint ;  the  summit  is  of  a  splendid 
red,  and  the  central  part  is  shaded  by  the  gradual 
intermixture  of  these  colours  through  all  the  in- 
termediate grades  of  purple.  Drawn  as  it  were 
upon  a  ground-work  of  mist,  the  tints  have  an 
aerial  softness  far  beyond  the  reach  of  art. 

The  group  of  stomachs  is  less  transparent,  and 
although  the  hue  is  the  same  as  that  of  the  back, 
they  are,  on  this  account,  less  elegant.  By  their 
weight  and  form,  they  fill  the  double  office  of  a 
keel  and  ballast,  while  the  cord-like  appendage, 
which  floats  out  for  yards  behind,  is  called,  by 
seamen,  the  cable. 

The  mode  in  which  the  animal  secures  his  prey, 


OF    THE    OCEAN.  33 

has  been  the  subject  of  much  speculation,  for  the 
fish  and  crabs  that  are  frequently  found  within  the 
little  tubes,  are  often  large  enough  to  tear  them 
in  pieces,  could  they  retain  their  natural  vigour 
during  the  contest.  Deceived  by  the  extreme 
pain  whictris  felt  when  the  cable  is  brought  into 
contact  with  the  back  of  the  hand,  naturalists 
have  concluded  that  this  organ  secretes  a  poison- 
ous or  acrid  fluid,  by  which  it  benumbs  any  un- 
fortunate fish,  or  other  animal,  that  ventures 
within  its  toils,  allured  by  the  hope  of  making  a 
meal  upon  what,  in  its  ignorance,  it  has  mistaken 
for  a  worm.  The  secret  will  be  better  explained 
by  a  more  careful  examination  of  the  organ  itself. 
The  cord  is  composed  of  a  narrow  layer  of  con- 
tractile fibres,  scarcely  visible  when  relaxed,  on 
account  of  its  transparency.  If  the  animal  be 
large,  this  layer  of  fibres  will  sometimes  extend 
itself  to  the  length  of  four  or  five  yards.  A  spiral 
line  of  blue  bead-like  bodies,  less  than  the  head 
of  a  pin,  revolves  around  the  cable  from  end  to 
end,  and  under  the  microscope  these  beads  appear 
covered  with  minute  prickles,  so  hard  and  sharp, 
that  they  will  readily  enter  the  substance  of  wood, 
adhering  with  such  pertinacity  that  the  cord  can 
rarely  be  detached  without  breaking. 

It  is  to  these  prickles  that  the  man-of-war  owes 
its  power  of  destroying  animals  much  its  superior 
in  strength  and  activity.  When  anything  becomes 
fastened  upon  the  cord,  the  contractile  fibres  are 
called  into  action,  and  rapidly  shrink  from  many 
feet  in  length  to  less  than  the  same  number  of 
inches,  bringing  the  prey  within  reach  of  the 


34  MINUTE    ANIMALS 

little  tubes,  by  one  of  which  it  is  immediately 
swallowed. 

This  weapon,  so  insignificant  in  appearance,  is 
yet  sufficiently  formidable  even  to  man  ;  and  if  a 
person  becomes  entangled  with  the  cable  of  a 
large  man-of-war,  the  pain  which  it  inflicts  is 
almost  insupportable,  and  sometimes  does  not  en- 
tirely cease  for  twenty-four  hours. 

We  might  now  proceed  to  describe  many  analo- 
gous animals  scarcely  inferior  in  interest,  but  it 
is  time  to  notice  some  of  another  tribe,  residing 
beneath  the  surface,  and  therefore  less  generally 
known. 

The  grandest  of  these  is  the  beroe.  In  size 
and  form  it  resembles  a  purse,  the  mouth  or  ori- 
fice answering  to  one  of  the  modern  metallic 
clasps.  It  is  perfectly  transparent,  and  in  order 
to  distinguish  its  filmy  outlines,  it  is  necessary  to 
place  it  in  a  tumbler  of  brine,  held  between  the 
observer  and  the  light.  In  certain  directions,  the 
whole  body  appears  faintly  irridescent,  but  there 
are  several  longitudinal  narrow  lines,  which  re- 
flect the  full  rich  tints  of  the  rainbow  in  the  most 
vivid  manner,  for  ever  varying  and  mingling  the 
hues,  even  while  the  animal  remains  at  rest. 
Under  the  microscope,  these  lines  display  a  suc- 
cession of  innumerable  coloured  scales,  or  minute 
fins,  which  are  kept  unceasingly  in  motion,  thus 
producing  the  play  of  colours  by  continually 
changing  the  angle  of  reflection. 

The  movements  of  the  beroe  are  generally  re- 
trograde, and  are  not  aided  by  the  coloured  scales, 
but  depend  upon  the  alternate  contraction  and 


OF    THE    OCEAN.  35 

dilatation  of  the  mouth.  The  lips  are  never  per- 
fectly closed;  arid  the  little  fish  and  shrimps 
which  play  around  them  are  continually  entering 
and  leaving  them  at  pleasure.  The  animal  is 
dependent  for  its  food  upon  such  semi-animated 
substances  as  it  draws  within  its  grasp  by  moving 
slowly  backwards  in  the  water,  and  it  retains 
them  in  consequence  of  their  own  feebleness  and 
inability  to  escape  the  weakest  of  snares. 

Another  tribe  of  sea-purses  (salpa),  though 
much  smaller  than  the  beroe,  are  more  complex 
in  structure,  and  possess  a  higher  interest,  in  con- 
sequence of  the  singular  habits  of  some  of  the 
species.  They  are  double  sacks,  resembling  the 
beroe  in  general  form,  but  destitute  of  irrides- 
cence. 

The  outer  sack  or  mantle  rarely  exceeds  an 
inch  in  length,  and  is  commonly  about  half  as 
wide.  The  inner  sack  is  much  smaller,  and  the 
interval  between  these  forms  a  cavity  for  the 
water  which  they  breathe,  and  for  some  of  the 
viscera.  The  alimentary  canal  is  as  fine  as  horse- 
hair, with  a  slight  enlargement  at  one  spot,  which 
has  been  called  a  stomach.  This  enlargement 
resembles,  both  in  size  and  colour,  a  grain  of 
sand.  From  the  base  of  the  animal  arise  two 
longer,  and  four  or  five  shorter,  conical  spines  of 
jelly,  curved  into  hooks  at_the  points,  by  means 
of  which  numerous  individuals  attach  themselves 
together  in  double  rows,  like  the  leaflets  of  a 
pinnated  leaf. 

To  the  gregarious  habits  of  this  little  mollusk, 
we  owe  a  very  singular  and  striking  phenomenon. 


36  MINUTE   ANIMALS    OF   THE    OCEAN. 

The  animSjp-.'are  occasionally  found  associated  to- 
gether in  si\ch  countless  myriads  that  the  sea  is 
literally  filled  with  them,  sometimes  over  three 
or  four  square  miles  of  surface,  and  to 'the  depth 
of  several  fathonfs.  The  yellow  spots  which  have 
been  described  being  the  only  coloured  portions 
of  their  body,  give  to  the  whole  tract  the  appearv 
ance  of  a  shoal  or  sand-bank  at  somp  distance  be- 
low the  surface.  The  deception*  is  heightened 
by  the  greater  smoothness  of  the  water  a^jjpese 
places, particularly  in  calm  weather;  for  sQJff^cly 
.are  the  animals  crowded  together,  that  tnWvater 
is  rendered,  in  a  manner,  less  fluid ;  the  smaller 
billows  break  around  the  margin  abd  are  lost, 
while  the  heavy  waves  of  the  ocean  are  somewhat 
opposed  in  their  progress,  and  take  on,  in  a  slight 
degree,  the  usual  appearance  of  the  ground-swell. 
There  can  be  but  little  doubt  that  many  of  the 
numerous  shoals  laid  down  in  the  charts,  but 
which  have  never  been  seen  by  any  but  the  sup- 
posed discoverers,  have  been  immense  banks  of 
these  gregarious  molluscse.  One  writer  mentions 
that  in  sailing  through  a  tract  of  this  description, 
in  which  the  progress  of  the  ship  was  very  sensi- 
bly retarded,  he  dipt  up,  with  the  ship's  bucket, 
a  greater  bulk  of  the  animals  than  of  the  water 
in  which  they  were  suspended.  How  wonderful 
are  the  effects  produced  by  the  minute  links  of 
creation ! 

«      FINIS. 


